Balboa High School students are nearly completing a year of distance learning, we see private schools and preschools reopening, but why not public schools?
In a recent study, it is stated that the United States public schools are nearly $150 billion underfunded annually. If we compare private schools to public schools, private schools are able to place more money in visual and performing art classes because they have more money for it. As the world was becoming more chaotic each day, distance learning became harder for students.
How could students cope with their stress, lack of motivation, and confusion if most of their methods to release that stress was having to leave their house and traveling there on public transportation? It embedded fear and anxiety when socializing with people because most of us were trapped inside for so long without being able to see or talk with our friends.
Even before vaccines came out and Covid cases started decreasing, private school students were able to go back to school with proper safety precautions because they had the flexibility to change their curriculum and hire teachers based on their students’ needs. Since public schools lack funds, it’s harder to sanitize every classroom, properly disinfect the vents, decrease the class size, have students safely get to and from school without them possibly carrying the germs back home, and place scanners that detect our temperatures. I’ve seen videos of private school students being able to socialize with their teachers and friends, eat lunch at a safe distance together, and go outside for some light physical activity. Most parents feel that it’s unfair that their kids have to endure learning lessons through a screen while private school students can go through a day without having to open up the zoom browser.
Even though public schools don’t have enough funds to bring all students back, there are some public schools making the best out of what they have by bringing groups of younger children back during April. However, not all students will be back. Younger kids will be able to go outside to play and meet their teachers face to face.
I believe it’s important for all students to go back to in-person school because we all face difficulties, but younger kids weren’t able to fully experience their childhood. With that being said, public schools need more funding so that all students can have a feeling of “normalness” in a time that’s so chaotic.
The Balboa Buc 